Renfe International Projects has acquired a 33% stake in Longitude Holding, a private Italian company operating under the trade name Arenaways.
Longitude Holding, founded in Turin in 2021 by investors with over 30 years of experience, holds the necessary authorizations to operate on both regional and long-distance routes in Italy. Another 33% stake in the company has been acquired by Serena Industrial Partners, a Spanish investment manager specializing in essential infrastructure projects with a focus on mobility.
The Piedmont Mobility Agency has awarded Longitude the operation of passenger services on two regional routes for the next ten years. These routes connect the towns of Cuneo, Saluzzo, and Savigliano, as well as Ceva and Ormea, under a contract valued at 54 million euros. Service on the first route is set to commence in January, while the second will begin once infrastructure adaptations by RFI (Italian Railway Network) are completed.
Longitude Holding intends to expand its operations to additional routes, both public and commercial. The company has obtained authorization from the Transport Regulatory Authority to launch long-distance connections under an open access regime on the Northwest-Northeast and North-Center-South corridors.
Renfe's expansion into Italy adds to its international operations, which include services in France and Central Europe. The company has started operations in France, competing with its AVE trains on international routes to Lyon and Marseille, with plans to add Toulouse next year. In Central Europe, Renfe operates public service obligations and commercial services in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland in partnership with Leo Express, of which it acquired 50% in 2021. Renfe is also participating as a strategic consultant and shadow operator in the Rail Baltica project involving Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
